Not the sole consideration, but the players' opinion is a factor when they have responded to a manager after a rubbish season. You are half way there if the players believe and respond. No one thinks Hughes is the final answer to our prayers, but he can stop the rot and start the rebuild.
A manager has to be a leader; and the first thing a leader has to do is inspire his followers. Very few people in any walk of life can do this. It looks like this particular manager, with this particular group of players has pulled off this rarest of tricks.
Yes, he looked like he did that for our run in and boy, am I grateful for that. I’ll judge his leadership after a pre-season and a fresh start to a season, when I can see how he is shaping his team and the approach to games and results. I think he’ll probably need the next two windows to adjust the squad and team to his own. If the worst happens and I am right in what I think may happen next season, then despite my current views, I hope the fans and the club stick by him for the entire season (assuming we are not really adrift at the bottom). I fear that won’t be the case though. Edit: this last paragraph simplifies to: If he does a Puel, keep him at the end of the coming season. If he does an MP2 (he won’t) ditch him.
And if he does an MP1 or Ronald, then he will be prised away for a sack of gold. So what’s our ideal? Scintillating attack minded football style and a finish in 9th? Would do for me.
Well whatever else, we need to win football matches. Win too few and we're right back in the mire again next season; win enough and we might even win a trophy. To do the latter, and avoid the former, we will need to invest in the squad; let's hope the club recognise that. It's all quite simple really, this football lark.
It was quite well reported that Pellegrino was liked by the players too. That was interpreted as him not pushing or having control of them. I'm still not sure what I'm meant to be seeing.
You can like someone without them being inspiring or even good at their job. I think Ralph mentioned (after MP2 was sacked) that he was a really nice man. I'm nice, but you wouldn't want me to take team training (though I would).
Would absolutely do for me too. If you're not going to win something - or, at a bare minimum, qualify for Europe - then entertainment takes priority over league position in my book (subject to avoiding relegation, and ideally a relegation battle full stop). 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th; it hardly matters. What I would say though is that regardless of the level of success that Hughes has with us, I can't see any of the big boys coming in for him. A Leicester or a West Ham might come sniffing in a couple of years, if he really does well here, but I suspect that would be about it. And he's had his time with Wales. Losing Hughes isn't something that enters my agenda.
Two likely outcomes: Hughes does badly and gets binned or Hughes does well, gets us to a decent level, but then told by the board thanks very much but we need to move to the next level and gets binned. An unlikely outcome, he does so well he stays here for years.
Actually that’s one thing I like about this. If he does well, because of history I don’t see a big club coming in for him.
I don't know, but it clearly did. Otherwise we'd be looking forward to trips to Elland Road and Villa Park next season.
We'll have to wait and see. This kind of togetherness in face of adversity helped save us. Hughes on a contract with a whole preseason and season ahead of him will be the real test. He wasn't going to perform miracles or change everything in a few weeks....will be interesting to see what he changes when he has the time. Quietly optimistic.
A good talking point, though we will never know. My view is that the team gained confidence even from poor results...for instance scoring 2 goals against Chelsea, knowing that they deserved to beat Everton. Confidence may have gone into an irreparable downward slide under MP2, but, as I said, a talking point.
